Surah Fussilat ayat 11 Tafsir Quran 41:11

﴿ثُمَّ اسْتَوَىٰ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ وَهِيَ دُخَانٌ فَقَالَ لَهَا وَلِلْأَرْضِ ائْتِيَا طَوْعًا أَوْ كَرْهًا قَالَتَا أَتَيْنَا طَائِعِينَ﴾
[ فصلت: 11]

41:11 Then He directed Himself to the heaven while it was smoke and said to it and to the earth, "Come [into being], willingly or by compulsion." They said, "We have come willingly."

Then He turned to the heaven when it was smoke consisting of rising vapours and He said to it and to the earth “Come both of you to what I desire from you willingly or unwillingly!” taw‘an aw karhan their syntactical locus is that of a circumstantial qualifier in other words ‘Come being obedient or coerced’. They said “We come together with all those inhabiting us willingly!” tā’i‘īna mainly indicates masculine rational beings; it may also be that they are referred to in this way because they are being addressed thus.

Then He applied himself to the immeasurable expanse of the realm when it was in its primordial gaseous and dusty** or smoky** state and He commanded both the realm and the primordial earth thus: Come within My authority willingly or unwillingly: they both responded , thus: We both come actuated with unconditional obedience to Allahs command

Some Details of the Creation of this Universe Here Allah denounces the idolators who worship other gods apart from Him although He is the Creator, Subduer and Controller of all things.
He says: قُلْ أَءِنَّكُمْ لَتَكْفُرُونَ بِالَّذِى خَلَقَ الاٌّرْضَ فِى يَوْمَيْنِ وَتَجْعَلُونَ لَهُ أَندَاداً ( Say: "Do you verily disbelieve in Him Who created the earth in two Days And you set up rivals with Him" ) meaning, `false gods whom you worship alongside Him' ذَلِكَ رَبُّ الْعَـلَمِينَ ( That is the Lord of the that exists. ) the Creator of all things is the Lord of all the creatures.
Here the Ayah; خَلَقَ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضَ فِى سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ ( Who created the heavens and the earth in Six Days ) ( 7:54 ).
is explained in more detail; the creation of the earth and the creation of the heaven are discussed separately.
Allah says that He created the earth first, because it is the foundation, and the foundation should be built first, then the roof.
Allah says elsewhere: هُوَ الَّذِى خَلَقَ لَكُم مَّا فِى الاٌّرْضِ جَمِيعاً ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى إِلَى السَّمَآءِ فَسَوَّاهُنَّ سَبْعَ سَمَـوَاتٍ ( He it is Who created for you all that is on the earth.
Then He rose over (Istawa ila ) the heaven and made them seven heavens) ( 2:29 ).
With regard to the Ayat: أَءَنتُمْ أَشَدُّ خَلْقاً أَمِ السَّمَآءُ بَنَـهَا - رَفَعَ سَمْكَهَا فَسَوَّاهَا - وَأَغْطَشَ لَيْلَهَا وَأَخْرَجَ ضُحَـهَا - وَالاٌّرْضَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ دَحَـهَا - أَخْرَجَ مِنْهَا مَآءَهَا وَمَرْعَـهَا - وَالْجِبَالَ أَرْسَـهَا - مَتَـعاً لَّكُمْ وَلاًّنْعَـمِكُمْ ( Are you more difficult to create or is the heaven that He constructed He raised its height, and has perfected it.
Its night He covers with darkness and its forenoon He brings out (with light ).
And after that He spread the earth, And brought forth therefrom its water and its pasture.
And the mountains He has fixed firmly, ( to be ) a provision and benefit for you and your cattle.) ( 79:27-33 ) This Ayah states that the spreading out of the earth came after the creation of the heavens, but the earth itself was created before the heavens according to some texts.
This was the response of Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, as recorded by Al-Bukhari in his Tafsir of this Ayah in his Sahih.
He recorded that Sa`id bin Jubayr said: "A man said to Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, saying: `I find some things in the Qur'an which confuse me: فَلاَ أَنسَـبَ بَيْنَهُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ وَلاَ يَتَسَآءَلُونَ ( There will be no kinship among them that Day, nor will they ask of one another ) ( 23:101 ), وَأَقْبَلَ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ يَتَسَآءَلُونَ ( And they will turn to one another and question one another ) ( 37:27 ), وَلاَ يَكْتُمُونَ اللَّهَ حَدِيثاً ( but they will never be able to hide a single fact from Allah ) ( 4:42 ), وَاللَّهِ رَبِّنَا مَا كُنَّا مُشْرِكِينَ ( By Allah, our Lord, we were not those who joined others in worship with Allah ) ( 6:23 ) But in this Ayah they did hide something.
And Allah says: أَءَنتُمْ أَشَدُّ خَلْقاً أَمِ السَّمَآءُ بَنَـهَا ( Are you more difficult to create or is the heaven that He constructed ) until; وَالاٌّرْضَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ دَحَـهَا ( And after that He spread the earth. ) ( 79:27-30 ) So He mentioned the creation of the heavens before the earth, then He said: قُلْ أَءِنَّكُمْ لَتَكْفُرُونَ بِالَّذِى خَلَقَ الاٌّرْضَ فِى يَوْمَيْنِ ( Say: "Do you verily disbelieve in Him Who created the earth in two Days..." ) until; طَآئِعِينَ ( We come willingly. ) Here He mentioned the creation of the earth before the creation of the heavens.
And He says: وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُوراً رَّحِيماً ( verily, Allah (Kana ) is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful) ( 4:23 ). عَزِيزاً حَكِيماً ( Most Powerful, All-Wise ) ( 4:56 ). سَمِيعاً بَصِيراً ( All-Hearer, All-Seer ) ( 4:58 ).
It is as if He was and is no longer.' Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, replied: فَلاَ أَنسَـبَ بَيْنَهُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ وَلاَ يَتَسَآءَلُونَ ( There will be no kinship among them that Day, nor will they ask of one another ) ( 23:101 ), this will happen when the Trumpet is blown for the first time. فَصَعِقَ مَن فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَمَن فِى الاٌّرْضِ إِلاَّ مَن شَآءَ اللَّهُ ( And all who are in the heavens and all who are on the earth will swoon away, except him whom Allah wills ) ( 39:68 ), and at that time there will be no kinship among them, nor will they ask of one another.
Then when the Sur will be blown again, وَأَقْبَلَ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ يَتَسَآءَلُونَ ( And they will turn to one another and question one another ) ( 37:27 ).
With regard to the Ayat, وَاللَّهِ رَبِّنَا مَا كُنَّا مُشْرِكِينَ ( By Allah, our Lord, we were not those who joined others in worship with Allah ) ( 6:23 ) and وَلاَ يَكْتُمُونَ اللَّهَ حَدِيثاً ( but they will never be able to hide a single fact from Allah ) ( 4:42 ), Allah will forgive the sincere believers their sins, then the idolators will say, `Let us say that we never joined others in worship with Allah.' Then a seal will be placed over their mouths, and their hands will speak.
Then it will be known that not a single fact can be hidden from Allah, and at that point, يَوَدُّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ ( those who disbelieved will wish ) ( 4:42 ).
Allah created the earth in two days, then He created the heavens, then He ( Istawa ila ) the heaven and gave it its shape in two more days.
Then He spread the earth, which means that He brought forth therefrom its water and its pasture.
And He created the mountains, sands, inanimate things, rocks and hills and everything in between, in two more days.
This is what Allah says: دَحَـهَا ( (He ) spread ( the earth )) ( 79:30 ) And Allah's saying: خَلَقَ الاٌّرْضَ فِى يَوْمَيْنِ ( (He ) created the earth in two Days) So He created the earth and everything in it in four days, and He created the heavens in two days. وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُوراً رَّحِيماً ( verily, Allah (Kana ) is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful) ( 4:23 ).
This is how He described Himself, and this is how He still is.
Whatever Allah wills comes to pass, so do not be confused about the Qur'an, for all of it comes from Allah."' This was recorded by Al-Bukhari. خَلَقَ الاٌّرْضَ فِى يَوْمَيْنِ ( (He ) created the earth in two Days) means, on Sunday and Monday. وَجَعَلَ فِيهَا رَوَاسِىَ مِن فَوْقِهَا وَبَـرَكَ فِيهَا ( He placed therein firm mountains from above it, and He blessed it, ) means, He blessed it and gave it the potential to be planted with seeds and bring forth produce. وَقَدَّرَ فِيهَآ أَقْوَتَهَا ( And measured therein its sustenance ) means, what its people need of provision and places in which to plant things and grow crops.
This was on Tuesday and Wednesday, which together with the two previous days add up to four days. فِى أَرْبَعَةِ أَيَّامٍ سَوَآءً لِّلسَّآئِلِينَ ( in four Days equal for all those who ask. ) meaning, for those who want to ask about that, so that they might know.
`Ikrimah and Mujahid said concerning the Ayah: وَقَدَّرَ فِيهَآ أَقْوَتَهَا ( and measured therein its sustenance ): "He placed in every land that which is not suited for any other land." Ibn `Abbas, Qatadah and As-Suddi said, concerning the Ayah, سَوَآءً لِّلسَّآئِلِينَ ( equal for all those who ask ): this means, "For whoever wants to ask about that." Ibn Zayd said: وَقَدَّرَ فِيهَآ أَقْوَتَهَا فِى أَرْبَعَةِ أَيَّامٍ سَوَآءً لِّلسَّآئِلِينَ ( and measured therein its sustenance in four Days equal for all those who ask.
) "According to whatever a person who is need of provision wants, Allah measures out for him what he needs." This is like what they said concerning the Ayah: وَآتَاكُم مِّن كُلِّ مَا سَأَلْتُمُوهُ ( And He gave you of all that you asked for ) ( 14:34 ).
And Allah knows best. ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى إِلَى السَّمَآءِ وَهِىَ دُخَانٌ ( Then He rose over (Istawa ila ) towards the heaven when it was smoke,) i.e., steam which arose from it when the earth was created. فَقَالَ لَهَا وَلِلاٌّرْضِ ائْتِيَا طَوْعاً أَوْ كَرْهاً ( and said to it and to the earth: "Come both of you willingly or unwillingly." ) meaning, `respond to My command and be subjected to this action, willingly or unwillingly.' قَالَتَآ أَتَيْنَا طَآئِعِينَ ( They both said: "We come willingly." ) meaning, `we will respond to You willingly and everything that You want to create in us -- angels, Jinn and men -- will all be obedient to You.' فَقَضَاهُنَّ سَبْعَ سَمَـوَتٍ فِى يَوْمَيْنِ ( Then He completed and finished their creation (as ) seven heavens in two Days) means, He finished forming them as seven heavens in two more days, which were Thursday and Friday. وَأَوْحَى فِى كُلِّ سَمَآءٍ أَمْرَهَا ( and He decreed in each heaven its affair.
) means, He placed in each heaven whatever it needs of angels and things which are known only unto Him. وَزَيَّنَّا السَّمَآءَ الدُّنْيَا بِمَصَـبِيحَ ( And We adorned the nearest (lowest ) heaven with lamps) means, the stars and planets which shine on the people of the earth. وَحِفْظاً ( as well as to guard. ) means, as protection against the Shayatin, lest they listen to the angels on high. ذَلِكَ تَقْدِيرُ الْعَزِيزِ الْعَلِيمِ ( Such is the Decree of Him, the Almighty, the All-Knower ) means, the Almighty Who has subjugated all things to His control, the All-Knower Who knows all the movements of His creatures.

(41:11) Then He turned to the heaven while it was all smoke. *14 He said to the heaven and the earth: 'Come (into being), willingly or unwillingly.' They said: 'Here we come (into being) in willing obeisance.' *15

Then He directed Himself to the heaven meaning

*14) Three things need to be explained here: First, by " heaven " is meant the whole universe, as becomes obvious from the following sentences.
In other words, " turning to the heaven " means that Allah turned to the creation of the universe.
Second, by " smoke " is implied the initial and primary stage of matter, in which it lay diffused in space in a shapeless, dust like condition before the formation of the universe.
Scientists of the modern age describe the same thing as nebulae, and the same also is their view about the beginning of the universe: that is, before creation the matter of which the universe was built lay diffused in smoke-like nebulous form.
Third, it would be wrong to interpret " then He turned to the heaven " to mean that first He created the earth, then set mountains in it, then arranged blessings and provisions of food in it, and then, at the end, He turned towards the crcation of the universe.
This misunderstanding is removed by the following sentence: " He said to the heavens and the earth: Come into being; and they said: we come in submission.
" This makes it clear that in this verse and in the following verses, mention is being made of the time when there was neither the earth nor the heaven, but the creation of the universe was being started.
Only the word thumma ( then ) cannot be made the argument to say that the earth had been created before the heavens.
There are several instances of this in the Qur'an that the word thumma is not necessarily used w show the chronological order but it is also used for the order of Presentation.
( Please see E.N.
12 of Surah Az-Zumar ).
Among the earliest commentators the dispute has been going on for ages as to what was created first according to the Qur'an, the earth or the heavens.
One group of them argues on the basis of this verse and verse 29 of AI-Baqarah that the earth was created first.
The other group argues from verses 27-33 of AnNazi'at that the heavens were created first, because there it has been clearly stated that the earth was created after the heavens.
But the fact is that nowhere in the Qur'an has the mention of the creation of the universe been made to teach Physics or Astronomy, but while inviting towards belief in the doctrines to Tauhid and the Hereafter, like countless other Signs, the creation of the heavens and the earth also has been presented as food for thought.
For this purpose it was not at All necessary that the chronological order of the creation of the heavens and the earth should have been presented, and it should have been told whether the heavens were created first or the earth.
No matter whether this was created first or that, in any case both are an evidence of Allah Almighty's being the One and only Deity, and are a testimony that their Creator has not created this whole universe as a plaything for a care-fret person.
That is why the Qur'an sometimes mentions the creation of the earth first and sometimes the creation of the heavens first.
Where the object is to make man realize the blessings of God, there generally it has mentioned the earth first, for it is closer to man; and where the object is to give man the concept of God's greatness and His omnipotence there it has generally mentioned the heavens first, for the scene of the revolving heavens has always been awe-inspiring for man.

*15) In these words Allah has described the nature of His method of creation in a manner as to differentiate between Divine creation and human workmanship.
When man wants to make something, he prepares a plan for it in his mind: then gathers together the necessary material; then works persistently hard to mould the material according to his plan, and in the process of his effort the material which he wants to mould according to his mental plan constantly resists lute; so much so that sometimes the resistance of the material succeeds and the thing is not made precisely according to the desired plan, and sometimes man's effort overcomes the resistance and he succeeds in giving it the desired form and shape.
For example, when a tailor wants to make a shirt, he first conceives in his mind the shape of the shirt, then arranging the cloth he tries to cut and sew it according to his concept of the shirt, and during this effort, he has constantly to face the resistance of the cloth, for it does not easily yield to be moulded according to the tailor's concept; so much so that sometimes the resistance of the cloth dominates and the shirt doesn't take the desired shape, and sometimes the tailor's effort dominates and he is able to shape it precisely according to his concept.
Now, consider Allah's mode of creation.
The matter of the universe lay scattered and diffused in the form of smoke.
Allah willed to give it the shape of the universe as it is now.
For this purpose, He did not have to sit down, like a human artisan, and chisel and mould the earth and the moon and the sun and the other stars and planets, but He only commanded the scheme of the universe that was in His Mind to cane into being, i.e.
the smoke like diffused matter to take the shape of the galaxies and stars and planets, which He wanted to create.
This .
matter did not have the power to resist the Command of Allah.
Allah did not have to make any effort to give it the shape of the universe.No sooner was the Command given than the matter started contracting and condensing and taking shape obediently according to the scheme of its Master, so that the whole universe including the earth became ready in 48 hours.
This same scheme of Allah's method of creation has been described at several other places in the Qur'an like this: When Allah decides to do something He only commands it to be and it is done.
( See AI-Baqarah: 117, AI-'Imran: 47, 59: An-Nahl: 40.
Maryam: 35, Ya Sin: 82, Al-Mu'min: 68 ).

 

Some Details of the Creation of this Universe Here Allah denounces the idolators who worship other gods apart from Him although He is the Creator, Subduer and Controller of all things.
He says: قُلْ أَءِنَّكُمْ لَتَكْفُرُونَ بِالَّذِى خَلَقَ الاٌّرْضَ فِى يَوْمَيْنِ وَتَجْعَلُونَ لَهُ أَندَاداً ( Say: "Do you verily disbelieve in Him Who created the earth in two Days And you set up rivals with Him" ) meaning, `false gods whom you worship alongside Him' ذَلِكَ رَبُّ الْعَـلَمِينَ ( That is the Lord of the that exists. ) the Creator of all things is the Lord of all the creatures.
Here the Ayah; خَلَقَ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضَ فِى سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ ( Who created the heavens and the earth in Six Days ) ( 7:54 ).
is explained in more detail; the creation of the earth and the creation of the heaven are discussed separately.
Allah says that He created the earth first, because it is the foundation, and the foundation should be built first, then the roof.
Allah says elsewhere: هُوَ الَّذِى خَلَقَ لَكُم مَّا فِى الاٌّرْضِ جَمِيعاً ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى إِلَى السَّمَآءِ فَسَوَّاهُنَّ سَبْعَ سَمَـوَاتٍ ( He it is Who created for you all that is on the earth.
Then He rose over (Istawa ila ) the heaven and made them seven heavens) ( 2:29 ).
With regard to the Ayat: أَءَنتُمْ أَشَدُّ خَلْقاً أَمِ السَّمَآءُ بَنَـهَا - رَفَعَ سَمْكَهَا فَسَوَّاهَا - وَأَغْطَشَ لَيْلَهَا وَأَخْرَجَ ضُحَـهَا - وَالاٌّرْضَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ دَحَـهَا - أَخْرَجَ مِنْهَا مَآءَهَا وَمَرْعَـهَا - وَالْجِبَالَ أَرْسَـهَا - مَتَـعاً لَّكُمْ وَلاًّنْعَـمِكُمْ ( Are you more difficult to create or is the heaven that He constructed He raised its height, and has perfected it.
Its night He covers with darkness and its forenoon He brings out (with light ).
And after that He spread the earth, And brought forth therefrom its water and its pasture.
And the mountains He has fixed firmly, ( to be ) a provision and benefit for you and your cattle.) ( 79:27-33 ) This Ayah states that the spreading out of the earth came after the creation of the heavens, but the earth itself was created before the heavens according to some texts.
This was the response of Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, as recorded by Al-Bukhari in his Tafsir of this Ayah in his Sahih.
He recorded that Sa`id bin Jubayr said: "A man said to Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, saying: `I find some things in the Qur'an which confuse me: فَلاَ أَنسَـبَ بَيْنَهُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ وَلاَ يَتَسَآءَلُونَ ( There will be no kinship among them that Day, nor will they ask of one another ) ( 23:101 ), وَأَقْبَلَ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ يَتَسَآءَلُونَ ( And they will turn to one another and question one another ) ( 37:27 ), وَلاَ يَكْتُمُونَ اللَّهَ حَدِيثاً ( but they will never be able to hide a single fact from Allah ) ( 4:42 ), وَاللَّهِ رَبِّنَا مَا كُنَّا مُشْرِكِينَ ( By Allah, our Lord, we were not those who joined others in worship with Allah ) ( 6:23 ) But in this Ayah they did hide something.
And Allah says: أَءَنتُمْ أَشَدُّ خَلْقاً أَمِ السَّمَآءُ بَنَـهَا ( Are you more difficult to create or is the heaven that He constructed ) until; وَالاٌّرْضَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ دَحَـهَا ( And after that He spread the earth. ) ( 79:27-30 ) So He mentioned the creation of the heavens before the earth, then He said: قُلْ أَءِنَّكُمْ لَتَكْفُرُونَ بِالَّذِى خَلَقَ الاٌّرْضَ فِى يَوْمَيْنِ ( Say: "Do you verily disbelieve in Him Who created the earth in two Days..." ) until; طَآئِعِينَ ( We come willingly. ) Here He mentioned the creation of the earth before the creation of the heavens.
And He says: وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُوراً رَّحِيماً ( verily, Allah (Kana ) is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful) ( 4:23 ). عَزِيزاً حَكِيماً ( Most Powerful, All-Wise ) ( 4:56 ). سَمِيعاً بَصِيراً ( All-Hearer, All-Seer ) ( 4:58 ).
It is as if He was and is no longer.' Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, replied: فَلاَ أَنسَـبَ بَيْنَهُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ وَلاَ يَتَسَآءَلُونَ ( There will be no kinship among them that Day, nor will they ask of one another ) ( 23:101 ), this will happen when the Trumpet is blown for the first time. فَصَعِقَ مَن فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَمَن فِى الاٌّرْضِ إِلاَّ مَن شَآءَ اللَّهُ ( And all who are in the heavens and all who are on the earth will swoon away, except him whom Allah wills ) ( 39:68 ), and at that time there will be no kinship among them, nor will they ask of one another.
Then when the Sur will be blown again, وَأَقْبَلَ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ يَتَسَآءَلُونَ ( And they will turn to one another and question one another ) ( 37:27 ).
With regard to the Ayat, وَاللَّهِ رَبِّنَا مَا كُنَّا مُشْرِكِينَ ( By Allah, our Lord, we were not those who joined others in worship with Allah ) ( 6:23 ) and وَلاَ يَكْتُمُونَ اللَّهَ حَدِيثاً ( but they will never be able to hide a single fact from Allah ) ( 4:42 ), Allah will forgive the sincere believers their sins, then the idolators will say, `Let us say that we never joined others in worship with Allah.' Then a seal will be placed over their mouths, and their hands will speak.
Then it will be known that not a single fact can be hidden from Allah, and at that point, يَوَدُّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ ( those who disbelieved will wish ) ( 4:42 ).
Allah created the earth in two days, then He created the heavens, then He ( Istawa ila ) the heaven and gave it its shape in two more days.
Then He spread the earth, which means that He brought forth therefrom its water and its pasture.
And He created the mountains, sands, inanimate things, rocks and hills and everything in between, in two more days.
This is what Allah says: دَحَـهَا ( (He ) spread ( the earth )) ( 79:30 ) And Allah's saying: خَلَقَ الاٌّرْضَ فِى يَوْمَيْنِ ( (He ) created the earth in two Days) So He created the earth and everything in it in four days, and He created the heavens in two days. وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُوراً رَّحِيماً ( verily, Allah (Kana ) is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful) ( 4:23 ).
This is how He described Himself, and this is how He still is.
Whatever Allah wills comes to pass, so do not be confused about the Qur'an, for all of it comes from Allah."' This was recorded by Al-Bukhari. خَلَقَ الاٌّرْضَ فِى يَوْمَيْنِ ( (He ) created the earth in two Days) means, on Sunday and Monday. وَجَعَلَ فِيهَا رَوَاسِىَ مِن فَوْقِهَا وَبَـرَكَ فِيهَا ( He placed therein firm mountains from above it, and He blessed it, ) means, He blessed it and gave it the potential to be planted with seeds and bring forth produce. وَقَدَّرَ فِيهَآ أَقْوَتَهَا ( And measured therein its sustenance ) means, what its people need of provision and places in which to plant things and grow crops.
This was on Tuesday and Wednesday, which together with the two previous days add up to four days. فِى أَرْبَعَةِ أَيَّامٍ سَوَآءً لِّلسَّآئِلِينَ ( in four Days equal for all those who ask. ) meaning, for those who want to ask about that, so that they might know.
`Ikrimah and Mujahid said concerning the Ayah: وَقَدَّرَ فِيهَآ أَقْوَتَهَا ( and measured therein its sustenance ): "He placed in every land that which is not suited for any other land." Ibn `Abbas, Qatadah and As-Suddi said, concerning the Ayah, سَوَآءً لِّلسَّآئِلِينَ ( equal for all those who ask ): this means, "For whoever wants to ask about that." Ibn Zayd said: وَقَدَّرَ فِيهَآ أَقْوَتَهَا فِى أَرْبَعَةِ أَيَّامٍ سَوَآءً لِّلسَّآئِلِينَ ( and measured therein its sustenance in four Days equal for all those who ask.
) "According to whatever a person who is need of provision wants, Allah measures out for him what he needs." This is like what they said concerning the Ayah: وَآتَاكُم مِّن كُلِّ مَا سَأَلْتُمُوهُ ( And He gave you of all that you asked for ) ( 14:34 ).
And Allah knows best. ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى إِلَى السَّمَآءِ وَهِىَ دُخَانٌ ( Then He rose over (Istawa ila ) towards the heaven when it was smoke,) i.e., steam which arose from it when the earth was created. فَقَالَ لَهَا وَلِلاٌّرْضِ ائْتِيَا طَوْعاً أَوْ كَرْهاً ( and said to it and to the earth: "Come both of you willingly or unwillingly." ) meaning, `respond to My command and be subjected to this action, willingly or unwillingly.' قَالَتَآ أَتَيْنَا طَآئِعِينَ ( They both said: "We come willingly." ) meaning, `we will respond to You willingly and everything that You want to create in us -- angels, Jinn and men -- will all be obedient to You.' فَقَضَاهُنَّ سَبْعَ سَمَـوَتٍ فِى يَوْمَيْنِ ( Then He completed and finished their creation (as ) seven heavens in two Days) means, He finished forming them as seven heavens in two more days, which were Thursday and Friday. وَأَوْحَى فِى كُلِّ سَمَآءٍ أَمْرَهَا ( and He decreed in each heaven its affair.
) means, He placed in each heaven whatever it needs of angels and things which are known only unto Him. وَزَيَّنَّا السَّمَآءَ الدُّنْيَا بِمَصَـبِيحَ ( And We adorned the nearest (lowest ) heaven with lamps) means, the stars and planets which shine on the people of the earth. وَحِفْظاً ( as well as to guard. ) means, as protection against the Shayatin, lest they listen to the angels on high. ذَلِكَ تَقْدِيرُ الْعَزِيزِ الْعَلِيمِ ( Such is the Decree of Him, the Almighty, the All-Knower ) means, the Almighty Who has subjugated all things to His control, the All-Knower Who knows all the movements of His creatures.

( Then turned He to the heaven ) then He turned to the creation of the heaven ( when it was smoke ) steam of water, ( and said unto it ) unto the heaven ( and unto the earth ) after He had created both: ( Come both of you ) give both of you the water and vegetation that you have, ( willingly or loth. They said: We come ) we give, ( obedient ) to Allah, even though we dislike people’s unresponsiveness.

Then He Istawa (rose over) towards the heaven when it was smoke, and said to it and to the earth: "Come both of you willingly or unwillingly." They both said: "We come, willingly."

Page 477 English transliteration